“Youth have this false notion that HIV is something to play with because of the new meds that allow people to live much longer as a chronic illness,” she said. “But being HIV-positive is not a walk in the park. And there are ways to avoid it — always use a condom and get tested regularly. Why do people keep refusing to take these simple steps?”

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But HIV/AIDS and health disparities among Blacks continue to be at top of list

For over a decade, Empower “U,” Inc. a not-for-profit, minority peer-based AIDS service organization, founded by people living with HIV/AIDS, has been one of just a handful of beacons of hope in Liberty City, lighting the way for those who face prejudice, stigma and even outright scorn simply because they are HIV-positive.